HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. – Garden Jubilee, a beloved springtime tradition in Hendersonville, once again transforms seven blocks of Main Street into a lush oasis, May 23-24.
Now in its 34th year, the Memorial Day weekend event invites home gardeners to stock up on annuals, perennials, trees, herbs, and fruit and vegetable plants. With more than 150 vendors, it is one of the largest gardening shows in the region. Garden-inspired artwork, outdoor furniture and tools for all outdoor projects round out the offerings.
“The event keeps growing and evolving year after year,” says Terrye Jacobs, Hendersonville downtown coordinator. “We always have new vendors, and we’ve expanded the speaker showcase, as well as the Lowe’s Outdoor Experience.”
This year’s keynote speaker is Scott Beuerlein, manager of botanical garden outreach at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. He speaks twice Saturday on how to improve as a gardener (11:30 a.m.) and the importance of plant diversity (2:30 p.m.).
Additional speakers include Jordana Chalnick, horticulturist and landscape manager at Biltmore; the Shady Ladies of Raymond’s Garden Center in Hendersonville; Hillary Thompson, horticulturist for Soil³; and beekeepers from Honeybee Bliss in Hendersonville.
Sunday includes a new element as WNC resident Sherry Lovett presents two sessions of outdoors-inspired storytelling.
“The Appalachians are where a lot of our storytelling traditions come from, so we’re making an effort to keep these mountain traditions alive,” Jacobs says.
The Lowe’s Outdoor Experience invites attendees to browse and try out power tools, ATVs, lawnmowers and grills. The kids’ zone includes art projects for budding gardeners.
Downtown shops and restaurants welcome attendees, and on Saturday morning, the Hendersonville Farmers Market is a short walk away in the Seventh Avenue district.
Hours for Garden Jubilee are 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free both days.
For additional info, including a full speakers’ schedule: https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/events/garden-jubilee. For more information about Hendersonville, including lodging options: https://visithendersonvillenc.org.